'Never Have I Ever's' Richa Moorjani on Kamala Taking Charge in Season 2

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Never Have I Evers Richa Moorjani on Kamala Taking Charge in Season 2

Netflix Staff

Entertainment

19 July 2021

Global

After the success of Season 1, beloved coming-of-age series Never Have I Ever launched its highly anticipated sophomore outing on July 15. To celebrate the series' return and the effortlessly funny but emotionally resonant stories at the heart of the show, we chatted with star Richa Moorjani - who portrays Devi's (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) brilliant cousin Kamala - about the show's success, the importance of advocating for oneself, and who she would choose to narrate a Kamala-centric episode.

This was your first series regular role. The show came out right at the beginning of the pandemic. What has this experience been like for you?

Its been a whirlwind. Sometimes it still feels unreal. This is definitely the biggest role Ive ever done. Its been a dream type of show that Ive always wanted to do as an actor: a story about a South Asian family where women are the lead characters and specifically showing an Indian-American family. Its just something that weve never seen on TV before. And something that I, as a South Asian American, have always wanted to see on TV. So its been a dream come true.

Before Season 1 came out, I knew it was special, but I dont think any of us knew that it was going to be such a massive global hit instantly. And when we saw the response that we were getting from all over the world, we were all so thrilled and it motivated all of us to just keep doing what were doing and to make sure that we went into Season 2 keeping in mind how important the show is to so many people.

Your character feels really relatable in so many ways. What has the fan reaction been like?

Some of the most meaningful and amazing messages that Ive gotten from fans all over the world are just about how theyve been able to relate so much to Kamala and how they feel like its a character that theyve always wanted to see and never have. That in turn made people who relate to her feel seen. So, Im just really honored and grateful to be able to do a character like that. And I think that whether somebody is South Asian or not, Kamala is relatable for so many different reasons. I relate to the aspect of her that I think we both put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be perfect in so many ways. I think some of that has to do with our culture and societal and family expectations, but I think its also just being a young woman and not knowing how to use our voice sometimes. I think that through Kamalas journey through Season 1 and Season 2 I feel like Ive grown a lot too.

In Season 2, Kamala is forced into a situation where she has to prove herself to her male colleagues and advocate for herself. A lot of women have probably found themselves in that situation. What was it like to take on that storyline, and have you ever been in a position like that?

I was so excited for Season 2 that they had the idea of going into Kamalas lab storyline and the challenges that she faces there. When I was doing Season 2, I was actually doing some research into women, and specifically women of color, who work in STEM, whether theyre in school or after school. Its such a common experience for women in all different scientific and mathematical fields to have been discriminated against for their gender and the color of their skin and not given credit for their work and left out of papers and not given awards. Its something thats happened historically, all over the world. I think its so important to show stories like this.

Also, we dont really have any representation of women in science in the media. I mean very rarely ever do we see those types of roles - and see them in a very nuanced way and dealing with the discrimination that they face. I think its something thats going to be so relatable, not just for women in science, but women in every field. I've definitely felt something similar even in my industry. I still struggle with knowing how and when I should allow myself to use my voice. I think thats something that so many women can relate to.

Kamala's always fighting against other peoples expectations and what they think she should be doing, whether it is at work or the pressure to get engaged. What is that pressure like?

She really likes Prashant, but at the same time, there's pressure that she feels from everybody around her. Thats something Ive personally had an experience of in my life. It can be suffocating and actually distort your own perceptions and feelings of what you really want. I think that throughout Season 1 and Season 2, the pressure is increasing to the point where she just doesnt know what she wants, but she does know that she wants to be able to make a decision for herself and not because of what anybody expects of her.

Does she actually like Mr. K or is that just her way of dealing with some of those expectations?

When it comes to Mr. K, shes charmed by him for sure, but she doesnt know him at all. At that dinner where everybody was literally staring at Prashants jacket pocket with a ring in it, she just felt like she needed to get out of there. It was one of those moments where youre not really thinking, its kind of fight or flight, and she just ran out of the house and probably thought to herself, I dont know where to go but I do know that Devis at the dance. Oh, I think Mr. K invited me to go there, so Ill just go join them. So I dont think its because she wants to necessarily suddenly be in a relationship with a new person. Its just she was literally in fight or flight in that moment and having a panic attack.

Ben and Paxton have now both had episodes where theyve gotten their own narrator. Do you think Kamala should get one in Season 3? And if so, who would you like to see take on her narrator role?

Oh my god, I really hope s

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